Hanger means for sheet metal sectional roofing and flooring



Jan. 31, 1967 L. J. SHUMAKER 3,300,912

HANGER MEANS FOR SHEET METAL SECTIONAL ROOFING AND FLOORING Original Filed Jan. 17, 1963 INVEN TOR.

United States Patent Ofilice WW2 Patented Jan. 31, 1967 3 300 912 HANGER MEANS FOR SHi-EET METAL SECTIONAL ROOFBNG AND FLOORTNG Lucky J. Shurnaker, Pittsburgh, Pa, assignor to H. H. Robertson Company, Pittsburgh, Pa, a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application Jan. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 252,249, now Patent No. 3,197,926, dated Aug. 3, 1965. Divided and this application Dec. 29, 1964, Ser. No. 432,918

2 Claims. (Cl. 52-39) This application is a division of my co-pending patent application S.N. 252,249, filed January 17, 1963, now Patent No. 3,197,926, granted August 3, 1965.

This invention relates to improvements in sheet metal sectional flooring and roofing sections. More particularly this invention relates to modifications of lateral connecting means which are conventional in such sheet metal sections. The modifications provide hanging sites for use in suspending elements from the sectional flooring or roofing after it has been assembled in a building structure.

Sheet metal sections Sheet metal sectional roofing and flooring sections have been utilized in the construction of modern buildings. Such sections are assembled in side-by-side and end-to-l end relation generally horizontally on horizontal beams and purlins of a modern building. Customarily the sections are corrugated to increase their load bearing properties. Roofing sections customarily are referred to as roof-decking. Flooring sections customarily are referred to as floor-decking. The flooring sections frequently are fabricated from two sheets of metal, at least one of which is corrugated, to provide longitudinal cells for use as conduits for the distribution of electrical conductors, signal wiring, communications wiring, ventilating air and the like. The sections are usually provided with lateral lip members which are engageable with each other to provide for a rigid side-'by-side assembly of the adjacent sections.

Connecting means The present invention concerns the conventional connecting means which comprise a male lip along one side edge of each section and a female lip along the other sideedge of the section. The male lip of one section is engageable with the female lip of the adjacent section. The male lip comprises a vertical strip of the sheet metal which forms the generally horizontal section. The female lip comprises a generally U-shaped channel of the sheet metal which forms the generally horizontal section. The sides of the U-shaped channel of the female lip are generally vertical. The female lip is adapted to receive the male lip of an adjacent section. After the section are assembled in a building, the female lips customarily are crimped to become tightly bonded with the male lip of the adjacent section.

The suspension problem Frequently in sectional flooring and roofing, it is necessary or desirable to suspend various construction elements from the assembled flooring or roofing. Plumbing conduits, electrical cables, air ducts, electrical boxes and the like may be suspended from the roofing or flooring. A suspended ceiling is commonly hung from the bottom of sheet metal flooring or roofing.

Various hanging techniques have been proposed in the prior art. These include:

(1) Graves, Canada Patent 480,452, shows the provision of wires or rods which are dropped through holes which are provided in the sheet meta-l flooring or roofing. The holes are punched or drilled where required and the wires or rods having enlarged upper ends are dropped through the holes for later uses as hangers. All of the wires or rods which will be needed in the building must be installed before a customary concrete layer is poured above the flooring.

(2) Marks, U.S. Patent 1,952,449, shows a plurality of rods provided between the corrugations of corrugated flooring. The rods must be positioned prior to the fabrication of the sections. The rods moreover are objectionable since they introduce obstructions in the longitudinal cells of the flooring. Such obstructions are prohibited by electrical codes where the cells are ultimately intended for use as electrical conduits.

(3) Rice, U.S. Patent 2,901,062, provides downwardly bent sheets on two-sheet flooring sections. The downwardly bent flanges at the edge of the section serves as a hanger site, but necessitate the use of additional metal in the flooring section.

(4) Welded studs and explosive-driven studs. After a concrete layer has been poured on top of sectional flooring, it is possible to provide additional hanger sites by cans of studs which can be welded to the flooring or roofing. Likewise studs may be driven into the flooring sections by means of explosives. Both of these methods require the introduction of expensive and cumbersome apparatus into the building for installing the needed studs.

(5) Shelby, Canada 598,368, shows the provision of U- shaped bendable tongues in the bottom sheet of a twosheet flooring section. The U-s'haped tongues may be bent downwardly where and when needed.

(6) Mote, Canada 616,050, shows the provision of depressed bands of metal in a two-sheet flooring section. The depressed bands of the sheet metal serve as hanger sites where and when needed.

(7) Lip hanger elements have been provided. These elements are additional clip member adapted to be applied over the male lips of sectional flooring or roofing sections before the male lips are engaged with the female lips of an adjacent section. These lip hangers require additional metal in the flooring or roofing construction.

The present invention According to the present invention, a novel hanger suspension is provided which does not require additional metal in the construction of the flooring or roofing. The hanger sites are provide-d in the male or female lips of the sections which comprise the flooring or roofing.

(I) Where the female-lip is a U-shaped channel having the open part of the U-shaped channel at the bottom, the corresponding male lip will extend vertically upwardly from the section. In this species of the invention, the male lip is provided with a plurality of spaced, vertical slits whereby a pair of the vertical slits define a peninsular segment of the male lip. One or more of the peninsular segments of the male lip are bent downwardly before the sections are assembled together. The peninsular segments which are not bent downwardly serve, as in conventional sections, as the male lip which is engageable with the female lip to secure the sections in side-by-side relation. The bent-down peninsular segments depend beneath the assembled sections and serve as hanger sites.

(11) Where the female lip is a U-shaped channel having the open part of the U-shaped channel at the top, the corresponding male lip will extend vertically downwardly from the section. In this species of the invention, the female lip is provided with a plurality of spaced, vertical slits in the outer vertical surface of the U-shaped channel whereby a pair of the vertical slits define a peninsular segment of the female lip. One or more of the peninsular segments of the female lip are bent downwardly to serve as hanger sites. The unbent peninsular segments of the female lip continue to serve in engagement with the male lip of an adjacent section to secure the sections in side-by-side relation. Crimping of the engaged lips of adjacent sections can be achieved through the unbent peninsular segments of the female lips.

The present invention, its objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description by reference to the acornpanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective sketch of a typical modern building utilizing sectional metal flooring;

FIGURES 25 inclusive are cross-sectional illustrations showing typical profiles of conventional sectional flooring and roofing sections;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of the present invention as applied to a male lip of a typical roofing section;

FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary perspective illustration ,of the present invention showing the male and female lips of adjacent sections as in FIGURE 6 secured together;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of two adjacent sections of the roofing section of FIG- URES 6 and 7 assembled in side-by-side relation and further showing the conventional crimping of the lips;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of an alternative embodiment of the invention as applied to the female lip of a reversed flooring section;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of the lips of FIGURE 9 secured together; and

FIGURE 11 is a fragmentary perspective illustration of a sectional roof deck having the present hanger suspension system.

Referring to FIGURE 1 there is illustrated a typical modern building formed from a skeletal structure of vertical columns 10 and horizontal beams 11. Sectional sheet metal flooring 12 is secured to the horizontal beams 11 usually by means of welding. After the sectional flooring has been completely assembled on a floor level, a layer of concrete 13 is poured above the flooring 12 to rigidity the flooring and to serve as a walking surface for the occupants of the building.

Sectional sheet metal flooring and sectional roofing is customarily provided in modular sections having widths from about 12-inches to about 36-inches. Typical profiles of available flooring and roofing sections are illustrated in FIGURES 2 through 5 inclusive. The flooring and roofing sections are fabricated from sheet metal, usually cold rolled steel from about 26 gauge to about 12 gauge.

FIGURE 2 presents roofing sections 14 which are formed from a corrugated metal sheet. The metal sheet has a male lip 15 along one side edge and a female lip 16 along the opposed side edge. The male lip 15 of the right hand roofing section 14 is shown engaged with the female lip 16 of the left hand roofing section 14.

FIGURE 3 illustrates typical roofing sections 17 which are formed from corrugated sheet metal, each having a male lip 18 and a female lip 19. The male lips 18 and the female lips 19 are shown in engagement. The roofing sections 17 are commonly identified in the building industry as hat-sections because of the similarity of their profile with the profile of a familiar top-hat.

FIGURE 4 illustrates typical flooring sections 2.0, 21, each being formed from two sheets of metal. Both flooring sections have a relatively flat bottom sheet 22, 23 respectively which is secured respectively to a corrugated upper sheet 24, 25 respectively, usually by means of welds. The left hand flooring section is commonly utilized in bulidings for providing electrical raceways beneath the floors of the resulting building. The corrugated upper sheet 24 forms, along with the bottom sheet 22 a plurality of longitudinal enclosed cells 26 which remain unobstructed in the assembly of the building and which may thereafter serve for distributing electrical cables throughout the building. The flooring sections 21 shown at the right hand side of FIGURE 4 frequently are rendered airtight to provide an airtight conduit which may be utilized as an air distribution element in a building. 'Both the flooring sections 20, 21 possess a male lip 27 along one edge thereof and a female lip 23 along the opposed edge thereof. The male lip 2'7 of the flooring section 21 is shown engaged with the female lip 28 of the flooring section in.

Another type of sectional flooring is illustrated in FIG- URE 5 wherein each flooring section 2%, 3G is provided with a corrugated bottom sheet 3-1, 32 respectively and a corrugated upper sheet 33, 34 respectively. The upper sheets are secured to the bottom sheets, usually by means of welding. so that longitudinal, enclosed cells 35, 36 respectively are created. The longitudinal cells 35 of the flooring sections 29 are utilized as racew-ays for electrical cables. The longitudinal cells 36 of the flooring section 30 are usually rendered airtight whereby the cells 36 may be utilized for the distribution of conditioned air throughout a building. It will be observed that each of the bottom sheets 31, 32 is provided with a male lip 37 along one side edge thereof and a corresponding female lip 38 along the opposed side edge thereof. The male lip 37 of the center section 29 in FIGURE 5 is shown engaged with the female lip 33 of the left hand section. The female lip 38 of the center section 29 is shown engaged with the male lip 37 of the right hand section 34 All of the flooring and roofing sections of FIGURES 2 through 5 are shown with the male lip extended vertically upwardly and the female lip comprising a generally U-shaped channel having the open part of the U-shaped channel downwardly oriented. It is of course possible to reverse the sections and present the male lip vertically downwardly and the female lip having the open part of its U-shaped channel upwardly presented. Such reversed flooring sections are shown, for example, in US. Patents 2,065,546 and 2,065,511. The present invention, in its alternate embodiment, can be applied to such reversed flooring and roofing sections.

The roofing sections 14, 17 of FIGURES 2 and 3 are customarily used for the construction of roofs. Nevertheless such roofing sections also are frequently utilized in combination with flooring sections of the type shown in FIGURE 4 for the construction of floors where less than the maximum electrical raceway or air distribution capacity is needed. Such floors which utilize both roofing and flooring sections are frequently termed blended floor systems.

Customarily the adjacent sections of roofing and flooring are assembled in side-by-side relation with the male lip of one section fitted into the open channel of the female lip of the adjacent section. The female lip thereafter is crimped by a pressure tool at spaced points to provide secure engagement between the sections.

The present inventi n According to the present invention, a plurality of slits is provided in spaced relation along the vertical surface of one of the engagement lips of sectional flooring or roofing. Adjacent slits define peninsular segments of the lip. One or more of the peninsular segments is bent downwardly to serve as a hanger site in the assembled floor. The unbent' peninsular segments serve, as in the past, in engagement with the corresponding lip of the adjacent section, to secure the adjacent sections in their sideby-side relation.

In one embodiment of the invention, flooring and roofing sections of the type shown in FIGURES 2 through 5 is contemplated, i.e., wherein the male lip extends vertically upwardly and the female lip comprises a U-shaped channel open at the bottom. In this embodiment, the male lip is provided with the slits defining peninsular segments. This embodiment is illustrated in FIGURES 6, 7, 8 and 11.

In the alternative embodiment of the invention, reversed flooring and roofing sections are contemplated i.e.,

The corrugated sheets are correlated wherein the male lip extends vertically downwardly and the female lip comprises a U-shaped channel open at the top. In this embodiment, the outer vertical wall of the female lip is provided with slits defining peninsular segments. This embodiment is illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10.

FIGURE 6 shows a fragment of a roofing or flooring section corresponding to that of FIGURES 2 through 5. The sheet metal section 40 has a male lip 41 which is provided with a plurality of slits 42 which extend through the male lip 40 and define a plurality of peninsular segments 43. One or more of the peninsular segments 43a are bent downwardly to serve as hanger sites in the resulting building. Preferably, each of the peninsular segments 43 is provided with an aperture 44 to facilitate hanging of wires, rods, hanger clips and the like therefrom. The unbent peninsular segments 43b remain available for engagement with a female lip of an adjacent roofing section.

The corresponding flooring or roofing section 4t) is provided with the customary female lip 45 comprising a U-shaped channel open at the bottom.

FIGURES 7 and 8 illustrate the assembled flooring or roofing sections 40, 40 with corresponding numerals indicating corresponding elements. It will be observed from FIGURE 7 that the peninsular segments 43a extend beneath the undersurface of the sections 40, 40'. From FIGURE 8, assembled sections are shown from the top side of the assembly with suitable crimping deformations 46 being seen in the female lip 45.

FIGURES 9 and illustrate the alternative embodiment of the invention which is practiced where the male lip of a flooring or roofing section extends downwardly and the female lip comprises a U-shaped channel open at the top. Referring to FIGURE 9 there is shown a fragment of a flooring or roofing section 50 (on the left) and a fragment of an adjoining roofing or flooring section 50 (on the right). The section 50 has along one edge thereof a female lip 51 comprising a generally U-shaped channel having a vertical inner surface 52 and a vertical outer surface 53. The U-shaped channel is open at the top. Spaced slits 54 are provided through the outer vertical surface 53 to define a plurality of peninsular segments 55. In the preferred embodiment, the peninsular segments 55 are provided with apertures 56. The peninsular segments 55 may be bent downwardly as shown at 55a to serve as hanger sites for the floor beneath.

The opposed side edge of each section is provided with a vertically downwardly extended male lip 57, as shown in the section 50'. The male lip 57 is engage-able with the female lip 51 in the customary manner through the unbent peninsular segments 55b, as presented in FIGURE 10 where corresponding numerals identify corresponding elements.

FIGURE 11 illustrates a typical flooring utilizing the present invention as seen from beneath. The flooring sec tions 69 are secured to a horizontal beam 61. The female lips 62 are engaged with the male lips 63 and are preferably crirnped to provide a secure seam. One or more of the peninsular segments 64 (of the male lips 63) are bent beneath the level of the sections to serve as hanger sites for the building. Wires 65, for example, may be extended through apertures 66 of the peninsular segment 64 for suspending ceilings, pipes, cables, electrical apparatus and the like.

The resent invention provides hanger sites for sectional flooring and roofing without requiring any 'additional metal in the flooring assembly. The hanger sites are peninsular segments which are readily provided by a simple slitting operation which may be conducted rather inexpensively during the forming operations for the flooring or roofing sections.

There is no substantial loss of strength in the resulting flooring or roofing sectional structure as a result of providing the present hanger sites. One of the lip elements (either male or female lips) remains intact to provide the requisite strength contribution to the seam.

I claim:

1. In a sheet metal sectional flooring or roofing section having a generally rectangular configuration including engagea-ble lip means along the opposed side edges thereof including a male lip comprising -a generally vertical surface of sheet metal along a first side edge and also including a U-shaped channel, open at the top, with the side edges thereof being generally vertical along the opposed side edges thereof, whereby said male lip is engageable in the said channel of an adacent one of said sections to secure said sections in side-by-side relation, the improvement in said section comprising:

a plurality of slits in the outer vertical surface of the said U-shaped channel extending from the bottom edge thereof through the outer sheet of the said channel, whereby a pair of said slits define a peninsular segment of the said outer surface, each said peninsular segment being adapted tobe bent downwardly to serve as a hanger site, and the unbent ones :of the said peninsular segments being adapted to en gage with the said male lip of an adjacent one of said sections.

2. The improvement of claim 1, wherein the said peninsular segments are provided with apertures for receiving hanging elements.

RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A SHEET METAL SECTIONAL FLOORING OR ROOFING SECTION HAVING A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR CONFIGURATION INCLUDING ENGAGEABLE LIP MEANS ALONG THE OPPOSED SIDE EDGES THEREOF INCLUDING A MALE LIP COMPRISING A GENERALLY VERTICAL SURFACE OF SHEET METAL ALONG A FIRST SIDE EDGE AND ALSO INCLUDING A U-SHAPED CHANNEL, OPEN AT THE TOP, WITH THE SIDE EDGES THEREOF BEING GENERALLY VERTICAL ALONG THE OPPOSED SIDE EDGES THEREOF, WHEREBY SAID MALE LIP IS ENGAGEABLE IN THE SAID CHANNEL OF AN ADJACENT ONE OF SAID SECTIONS TO SECURE SAID SECTIONS IN SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATION, THE IMPROVEMENT IN SAID SECTION COMPRISING: A PLURALITY OF SLITS IN THE OUTER VERTICAL SURFACE OF THE SAID U-SHAPED CHANNEL EXTENDING FROM THE BOTTOM EDGE THEREOF THROUGH THE OUTER SHEET OF THE SAID CHANNEL, WHEREBY A PAIR OF SAID SLITS DEFINE A PENINSULAR SEGMENT OF THE SAID OUTER SURFACE EACH SAID PENINSULAR SEGMENT BEING ADAPTED TO BE BENT DOWNWARDLY TO SERVE AS A HANGER SITE, AND THE UNBENT ONES OF THE SAID PENINSULAR SEGMENTS BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE WITH THE SAID MALE LIP OF AN ADJACENT ONE OF SAID SECTIONS. 